Jamaal Charles says college athletes should be paid

Jared Ainswort, Beaumont Enterprise

By Jared Ainsworth

Published 10:05 pm, Saturday, June 11, 2011

Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) ran against the St. Louis Rams in the third quarter at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri, Sunday, December 19, 2010. The Chiefs defeated the Rams, 27-13. (David Eulitt/Kansas City Star/MCT)
Photo: DAVID EULITT, MBR

Jamaal Charles, middle, with the Kansas City Chiefs, helps the smaller kids as they warm up doing different running drills. Friday was the first day of the Jamaal Charles' football camp, held at Port Arthur Memorial High School. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

Jamaal Charles, middle, with the Kansas City Chiefs, helps the...

Jamaal Charles, right, with the Kansas City Chiefs, watches Sean Gardiner, left, who is 5, run through a set of pads that was part of a timed running drill. Friday was the first day of the Jamaal Charles' football camp, held at Port Arthur Memorial High School. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

Back when Jamaal Charles was busy scoring touchdowns in front of packed stadiums for the University of Texas, he didn't have enough money to buy a new pair of Jordan shoes. That, of course, was before the former Memorial player became an All-Pro running back for the Kansas City Chiefs.

"I couldn't spend money like I wanted to because I had to save," Charles said of his time at Texas, from 2005 to 2007. "I couldn't really save because I didn't have any money. I only had enough to pay for bills and I couldn't even buy a pair of shoes. Everybody was buying Jordan's and I couldn't have any."

Charles, who conducted a two-day football camp for kids on Friday and Saturday and also played in a celebrity basketball game Saturday at Memorial, said he thinks college players should be paid - just not extravagantly.

"I think they should help the players," Charles said. "They shouldn't give them any NFL money, but a little so there won't have to be any crazy stuff. It's tough in college because you don't have any money. It's like you're living poor."